Key Points:
- All-rounders in high demand due to scarcity, with Cameron Green and Venkatesh Iyer leading the market.
- KKR and CSK dominate bidding power, while most teams operate with limited purses.
- No RTM cards, pushing franchises toward precise, high-impact buys.
With Rs 237.55 crore available and seventy-seven slots open, the IPL 2026 mini-auction opens Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, where ten franchises target scarce pace-bowling all-rounders to fix gaps before the new season.
Cash-Rich Teams Set the Pace
The IPL 2026 mini-auction unfolds with a clear imbalance between demand and supply, especially for seam-bowling all-rounders. Kolkata Knight Riders enter with the largest purse at Rs 64.30 crore and thirteen slots, positioning them to drive bidding.
Chennai Super Kings, holding Rs 43.40 crore and nine slots, are the only other franchise capable of matching KKR financially. Most other teams operate with tighter budgets, shaping a market led by a few aggressive buyers.
Mumbai Indians, with just Rs 2.75 crore remaining, are expected to play a minimal role. Their focus is likely limited to picking up a couple of uncapped players at base price rather than competing for marquee names.
Across the league, ten franchises must fill seventy-seven slots with a combined purse of Rs 237.55 crore. Mini-auctions typically reward precision over volume, encouraging teams to spend heavily on specific skill sets rather than rebuild entire squads.
“There is no room for sentiment in a mini-auction,” a franchise official said. “You either get the skill you need or you move on quickly.”
Green, Iyer Head Scarce All-Rounder Market
Cameron Green stands at the center of the IPL 2026 mini-auction narrative. Pace-bowling all-rounders are rare in the T20 ecosystem, and Green’s versatility places him in a high-demand bracket despite modest IPL numbers of 704 runs and sixteen wickets from twenty-nine matches.
Green enters at a base price of Rs 2 crore, alongside Venkatesh Iyer and West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder. All three are expected to attract premium bids driven more by scarcity than statistics.
Even if bidding escalates sharply, overseas players remain subject to the IPL’s maximum-fee rule. A foreign player’s salary at a mini-auction is capped at Rs 18 crore, with any excess deducted only from the team’s purse.
Former India batter Robin Uthappa, speaking during a mock auction simulation, said the Chennai Super Kings were expected to remain cautious. “CSK will likely cap spending around Rs 20 crore to keep flexibility,” he said, while conceding Green’s skill set could tempt teams to stretch budgets.
Venkatesh Iyer’s valuation is also under scrutiny. Bought for Rs 23.75 crore last season, he endured a difficult campaign but reminded bidders of his pedigree with a recent domestic knock. A bid beyond Rs 10 crore is now widely seen as fair value.
No RTM Cards, Focus on Precision Picks
The IPL Governing Council has confirmed that Right To Match cards will not be available at the IPL 2026 mini-auction. The provision applies only to mega auctions, where retention limits are tighter and competitive balance is reset.
Without RTM cards, teams must rely purely on purse management and targeted recruitment. That dynamic increases risk and rewards decisiveness, particularly for franchises attempting partial rebuilds.
Beyond all-rounders, England’s Liam Livingstone and South Africa’s Quinton de Kock are expected to draw strong interest for their multi-skill value. Fast bowlers Matheesha Pathirana and Jacob Duffy add further intrigue, while uncapped Indian Ashok Sharma could emerge as a value pick.
The auction also unfolds against a settled calendar. The IPL 2026 season is scheduled from March 26 to May 31, though the venue for the opening match remains undecided due to ongoing safety reviews.
As bidding begins in Abu Dhabi, the IPL 2026 mini-auction promises not spectacle through scale, but sharp contests shaped by scarcity, strategy and selective spending.
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